No shortage of story lines for 49ers, Ravens

Monday

Jan 28, 2013 at 5:40 PM

Two teams playing for a championship all 32 NFL teams dream of at the start of the year is reason enough to be captivated by Super Bowl XLVII. The matchup between the San Francisco 49ers and Baltimore Ravens, however, has more than its fair share of captivating and unique storylines that will make this more than just a championship contest.

Two teams playing for a championship all 32 NFL teams dream of at the start of the year is reason enough to be captivated by Super Bowl XLVII. The matchup between the San Francisco 49ers and Baltimore Ravens, however, has more than its fair share of captivating and unique storylines that will make this more than just a championship contest.

Story line time: For the first time ever, two brothers will coach against one another in the Super Bowl. Meanwhile, a future first-ballot Hall of Famer will take the field for the last time ever, and two other likely Hall of Famers could also be playing in their final NFL games. On top of that, the game features a quarterback matchup that few could have predicted before the season began. If you’re looking for compelling storylines to follow in the week leading up to the game and through the game itself, here are 10 concepts that go a long way in defining the matchup.

Get your TV, computer, mobile device warmed up: Super Bowl XLVII will be seen all over the world through every avenue of technology available. When the biggest game in America kicks off, you can catch the Baltimore Ravens and San Francisco 49ers from multiple outlets. Whether it's television, radio or streaming live online, the country has this game swamped with coverage. Even mobile applications are available should you be on the go when Super Sunday rolls around.

You better, you bet: ith all the crazy proposition bets available for Super Bowl XLVII between the San Francisco 49ers and Baltimore Ravens, there are several wagers that are a little easier to gauge than others. You might be the type of person who doesn't know football, and may as well bet on the 50-50 odds of the coin toss as a means to cash in. Several relatively safe options exist, though, and are worth a serious look if you're the gambling type.

Don't sleep on these sleepers: The Super Bowl MVP is usually an obvious choice, but every so often there is a surprise. This battle between the San Francisco 49ers and Baltimore Ravens could be one of those exceptions. Most winners of this award have been quarterbacks of the winning team. This means that Joe Flacco and Colin Kaepernick are the most likely to take home the trophy. However, there are certainly opportunities for players to become this year's Dexter Jackson or Desmond Howard. These lesser-known players will have a shot at winning the Super Bowl's Most Valuable Player award with big performances on Sunday.

Stat pack: Super Bowl XLVII pits two teams with reputedly tough defenses and two sibling head coaches with a lot of familiarity with each others' respective styles. But that won't necessarily translate to a low-scoring game. There are plenty of exciting offensive stars, including two of the fastest rising quarterbacks in the league. Both offenses are usually built around the running game, though, so it will be interesting to see what sort of game plan each team draws up in that context. Here are predictions for marquee players and how frequently they can be expected to light up the scoreboard in the Superdome.

History lesson: Quarterbacks and running backs often get the glory when their team emerges from the Super Bowl victorious. But as this list shows, the biggest names don't always hog all the spotlight on the NFL’s biggest stage.